Caithness Horizons : Funding

Caithness is the area at the top of mainland Britain, home of John o’Groats, spectacular scenery and a magnificent coastline. It is also the site of a nuclear facility run by the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), which is in the process of being decommissioned. As part of the area renewal plan various organisations were looking at projects to benefit the local economy.

GVA RGA’s involvement with the project goes back to 2002, when we were commissioned by the UKAEA, the Highland Council and a range of other partners to assess the likely impact of redeveloping Thurso Town Hall and the adjacent Carnegie Library into a tourist and community facility.

From this initial piece of work we assisted the stakeholders in developing the “Caithness Horizons” concept. We undertook consultations with potential partner organisations and recruited them as stakeholders in the project by incorporating their objectives into an overarching theme. We discovered a sceptical local community group; but with a careful communications plan these were turned into “ambassadors” for the project. Our Business Plan and proposed organisational structure formed the basis of successful funding applications, totaling £3.5m, to a range of agencies.